Need help ASAP Colic

[rodeohounddogg]

My mini is showing signs of colic. The vet wont come out that is in this area. Said he cant do anything more than what he is telling us to do. She is totally lifeless and wants to lay down all the time. Giving her bantamine every 12 hrs per his order. After shot she wants to graze a lilttle but has consumed very little water. The shot seems to make her feel better but she is not her usual self, very inactive. She looks and acts very depressed. WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? WE ARE TERRIBLY FRIGHTENED. NO POOP FOR 3 DAYS. Vet said minis are too small to do a rectal exam. Is this true? I believe that she needs to get some fluid in her. Oh almost forgot, we have been giving her mineral oil also. She gets some in, but not all of it. Have given her approximately 2 quarts maybe less since yesterday afternoon. Please let me know of any suggestions.

 

[Connie P]

Get her loaded and to an equine hospital ASAP. Three days no poop.

 

[Genie]

when we have a colic case the vet says not to let them eat.

I give baking soda and warm water in a turkey baster and also you can give some wormer if they haven't been wormed lately and also 911, which is a paste and isn't always that easy to find.

good luck, keep her moving

also might not be wrong to try a warm water fleet enema

 

[Mona]

I agree, that horse needs medical attention NOW! Ity may be too late even for that if it has already been 3 days. That horse must be in severe pain, and if you cannot find a vet to try and help, it may be more humane to have the vet come and put him down? As it is, he is/must be suffering terribly.

How big is your mini? I have had minis rectally palpated by a man vet. He was a small man mind you, but he did it in my mares to check for pregnancy. The mares were 31.5" on up to about 36" I guess back then. He also rectally palpated a colic case in a 34-35" mare. This was a different vet and a good sized guy. So if not too tiny, it can be done!

Wishing you the best of luck, but please do something now! There is no time to wait. This is in my opinion, a dire emergency.

 

[Viki]

I agree. Load her up and get her to a hospital NOW. At this point, it's your only chance. At least, if she cant be saved, she can be released from her suffering. I feel like you are past any home remedies fixing her.

Of course, I'm not a vet, just experienced in too many colic's.

Viki

 

[rodeohounddogg]

I agree. Load her up and get her to a hospital NOW. At this point, it's your only chance. At least, if she cant be saved, she can be released from her suffering. I feel like you are past any home remedies fixing her.Of course, I'm not a vet, just experienced in too many colic's.

Viki

 

[rodeohounddogg]

My mini is showing signs of colic. The vet wont come out that is in this area. Said he cant do anything more than what he is telling us to do. She is totally lifeless and wants to lay down all the time. Giving her bantamine every 12 hrs per his order. After shot she wants to graze a lilttle but has consumed very little water. The shot seems to make her feel better but she is not her usual self, very inactive. She looks and acts very depressed. WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? WE ARE TERRIBLY FRIGHTENED. NO POOP FOR 3 DAYS. Vet said minis are too small to do a rectal exam. Is this true? I believe that she needs to get some fluid in her. Oh almost forgot, we have been giving her mineral oil also. She gets some in, but not all of it. Have given her approximately 2 quarts maybe less since yesterday afternoon. Please let me know of any suggestions.

She is not thrashing in pain, no sweating,no rolling or anything like that. I just walked her and lunged her at a walk. I dont think she is in so much pain that she needs to be put down. She seems uncomfortable and sad, but wants to nibble grass. Vet said to get some pedialyte in her and we are going to give more mineral oil. Also, a member said to worm her so I will do that too. Thanks everyone who has answered. If she gets in alot pain I will not let her suffer. I do hear gut sounds through the stethoscope. What is a normal pulse ane where do I check that? Her gums are pink and the refill time is about 2 secs.

 

[Jill]

She needs to go to the hospital, and you probably need a new vet. My vets would be able to tube a mini, give buscapan (which can actually reolve some colics and is not just a pain killer), and maybe some other things as well. There are things they can do to help a colic here at my farm that the average horse owner cannot do. I hope your horse will be okay.

 

[bingo]

Fresh green grass is ok for her to eat in small intervals.

I would think she needs to see a new or different vet now. Your instinct she needs fluids now is a very good one.

 

[gvpalominominis]

I'd get that horse to a vet ASAP... and not the one that said nothing else could be done! Then find a new vet!

What is wrong with this vet?!? An impaction is probably up too high from the rectum for a rectal exam to do any good anyway! Mini or not! Geez

If the horse is not eating... it is also in danger of kidney failure. It definitely needs more fluids... I truly hope it is not too late.

If you are in a remote area and vet care is very far away... I'd start thinking about learning how to give IV's and tubing myself. It could save your horses' lives.

 

[Mona]

How old is this horse? Are you 100% sure she has not had poop for 3 days?? I am just wondering if maybe the poop has been overlooked and it is more a colic from pain elsewhere, other than a blockage? Such as ulcers? Does she lay right upside down on her back at all, with all 4 legs up in the air? I also do not have vets here so I do understand your predicament.

 

[Reble]

All I can add is

 

[gvpalominominis]

She needs to go to the hospital, and you probably need a new vet. My vets would be able to tube a mini, give buscapan (which can actually reolve some colics and is not just a pain killer), and maybe some other things as well. There are things they can do to help a colic here at my farm that the average horse owner cannot do. I hope your horse will be okay.

I'm curious... what is buscapan and what is its purpose? How is it used and when? Are there certain colics that it can complicate not correct? Is it available only by prescription or also available over the counter?

FYI... I've never heard of a vet thinking they couldn't tube a mini.

Thanks!

 

[Jill]

I mispelled it. It is "Buscopan". You can google it, but it actually helps to resolve some types of colic, unlike Banamine (which of course I've used) which really only masks pain. My vet used buscopan on a colic mini I had about 9mos ago. It was the first time I'd heard of it, but we are lucky and have not had much colic.

http://www.allivet.com/BUSCOPAN-p/25590.htm

In addition to being a pain killer, the buscopan relaxes the gut muscles which can help the colic pass. It has to be given in the vein and slowly, vs. in the muscle like you can give banamine. I am not sure the average horse owner could administer it (I don't think I could do it properly but of course, my vets can).

And I agree, a vet should be able to tube a mini, no problem...

 

[Genie]

We had a weanling acting colicy and it actually turned out to be ulcers.

While we were trying to determine her problem she tubed her, mineral oil.

Next visit, she tubed liquids.

Banamine as well.

Her tummy looked distended and the vet said don't let her eat anything till next morning, and this was about 1 in the afternoon.

She was doing some rolling but mostly laying down rolling to the side and keeping her feet a bit off the ground and not moving.

Vet said to keep her on her feet and don't give in to giving her any food.

Finally after blood work and other tests she decided it was ulcers and put her on an ulcer medicine, but likely pepto wouldn't hurt to try.

Others on the forum have mentioned over the counter ulcer medicine on here, the names escape me.

The baby here is fine now.

Hoping for the best for your little one.

 

[gvpalominominis]

I mispelled it. It is "Buscopan". You can google it, but it actually helps to resolve some types of colic, unlike Banamine (which of course I've used) which really only masks pain. My vet used buscopan on a colic mini I had about 9mos ago. It was the first time I'd heard of it, but we are lucky and have not had much colic.
http://www.allivet.com/BUSCOPAN-p/25590.htm

In addition to being a pain killer, the buscopan relaxes the gut muscles which can help the colic pass. It has to be given in the vein and slowly, vs. in the muscle like you can give banamine. I am not sure the average horse owner could administer it (I don't think I could do it properly but of course, my vets can).

And I agree, a vet should be able to tube a mini, no problem...

Thank you. I actually also found it on several sites.... could be there are different forms of it. One is considered a holistic medicine from an Australian plant. It's an anti spasmatic and is used also for IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I can see it may be helpful for gas colic... and reduce the pain for a blockage.... but if it a blockage.... it obviously has to break up or pass in order to find relief.

I also use Banamine in a paste form. Takes a little longer to work as it is ingested.

Boy, if there is anything else out there available to have on hand... it is good to know : )

 

[Margo_C-T]

I am not a vet either, but have spent the last 58 years almost continuously providing daily care for horses. I urge you to heed the others--load your mini up and get it to a competent vet IMMEDIATELY.

I would NOT try'home remedies' (personally, I would NEVER---but, if such would help at all, it would be for a mild gas colic-and I believe you are way beyond that) -- and I CERTAINLY would not give a dewormer to any horse that is already ill with an ongoing colic. This has gone on too long already; when a horse has not passed manure in three days, that is a SERIOUS situation.

Banamine, especially when given over several days' time,'can' cause problems of its own; it is hard on the stomach, can lead to ulcers.It ONLY relieves symptoms; doesn't really do much if anything toward 'curing' the root cause of a colic. Did the vet advising you mention giving a 'buffer' dose of ranitadine(generic for Zantac)with each dose of banamine? Did he/she specify a dose; my longtime and excellent vet advised me years ago that a 'less-than-full' dose of banamine would relieve symptoms, but not mask them when/if the vet needed to make an exam/diagosis/decide on treatment. Along the lines of 2/3-3/4 'full' dosage by weight was suggested.

I hope you will take action on getting your mini to a competent vet, and keep us posted. I'm sure we all want to hear GOOD news!

Best wishes for a positive outcome,

Margo

 

[gvpalominominis]

I am not a vet either, but have spent the last 58 years almost continuously providing daily care for horses. I urge you to heed the others--load your mini up and get it to a competent vet IMMEDIATELY. I would NOT try'home remedies' (personally, I would NEVER---but, if such would help at all, it would be for a mild gas colic-and I believe you are way beyond that) -- and I CERTAINLY would not give a dewormer to any horse that is already ill with an ongoing colic. This has gone on too long already; when a horse has not passed manure in three days, that is a SERIOUS situation.

Banamine, especially when given over several days' time,'can' cause problems of its own; it is hard on the stomach, can lead to ulcers.It ONLY relieves symptoms; doesn't really do much if anything toward 'curing' the root cause of a colic. Did the vet advising you mention giving a 'buffer' dose of ranitadine(generic for Zantac)with each dose of banamine? Did he/she specify a dose; my longtime and excellent vet advised me years ago that a 'less-than-full' dose of banamine would relieve symptoms, but not mask them when/if the vet needed to make an exam/diagosis/decide on treatment. Along the lines of 2/3-3/4 'full' dosage by weight was suggested.

I hope you will take action on getting your mini to a competent vet, and keep us posted. I'm sure we all want to hear GOOD news!

Best wishes for a positive outcome,

Margo

Margo's right........and home remedies should only be used as a last resort or in an urgent situation when a vet is unobtainable and are best used under vet supervision when nothing else is available. My previous post about learning how to give IV's and tubing should be instructed by a vet as there are dangers in doing them incorrectly. But obviously, some people live so remotely, that if they don't do something... their horse will die. If you're like me, you're going to want to feel that you did everything you possibly could. So it may pay to be prepared and educate yourself. I cannot recall ever hearing where giving a horse a properly home installed IV ever caused additional damage, but has saved numerous horses lives.

I am also not a vet and don't claim to be... but after having horses and dogs for over 30 years, you do learn a trick or two at home to aid until a vet can arrive.

 

[Miniv]

Three days of acting colicky is too too long.........Please listen to everyone who said -- Load up your mini -- even if it's in the back seat of a car -- and get her to a vet.

They can tube her, hook her up to IV fluids, etc...... She is probably dehydrated, which doesn't help with her passing a blockage.

Wishing you the best..........

 

[Riverdance]

FLUID, FLUID, and more FLUID is what your mare needs. Oil is not enough to pass anything. Many horses will be very depressed if they do not have enough fluids in their bodies and they sure as heck are not going to pass a blockage without it.

WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOUR VET!!!!!!! He should lose his licence!!!!

I do not care if it is a Mini, a dog, or a big horse; any vet or even a vet tech, can give an IV of fluid. This is what the mare needs NOW!!! She should be getting that regularly till she poops. It sure would perk her up.

NO FOOD!!! Not even grass. Try Gatoraide as they seem to like that , but get fluid down her throat and into her veins. Even subcutaneously is better than nothring.

I would not worm her till she is feeling better. That will only cause more problems at this time and could possibly kill her.